A round-up of other world news in brief
Zelaya refuses to leave as asylum seeker
TEGUCIGALPA – A dispute over political asylum yesterday hindered a plan to fly the ousted Honduran president Manuel Zelaya to exile in Mexico.
The leftist leader was set to leave his Brazilian embassy refuge in the Honduran capital, Tegucigalpa, in a deal with the country’s de facto rulers which would have ended a three-month siege.
The plan unravelled after Mr Zelaya insisted he travel to Mexico as a “guest” rather than asylum seeker, as the latter category would curb his efforts to be reinstated as president.
He told Honduran radio he would leave on condition he could continue political activities.
– ( Guardianservice)
Paparazzo jailed over blackmail
ROME – A notorious Italian photographer has been jailed for three years and eight months after trying to extort thousands of euro from celebrities in return for not selling embarrassing photos of them to gossip magazines.
"King of the paparazzi" Fabrizio Corona was found guilty yesterday of blackmailing sports stars including the Brazilian footballer and Inter Milan star Adriano, the former AC Milan footballer Francesco Coco and MotoGP rider Marco Melandri. But the Milan court acquitted Corona of trying to extort €200,000 from Lapo Elkann, a member of the Fiat-owning Agnelli family, and of attempting to blackmail another Italian footballer, Alberto Gilardino. – ( Guardianservice)
New sanctions threat for Iran
UNITED NATIONS – The US, Britain and France warned Iran yesterday it may face new sanctions over its nuclear programme, but Russia and China hinted they were not convinced more punitive steps were needed.
The exchange of views during a UN Security Council debate on Iran showed how the western powers’ desire to ratchet up pressure on a defiant Tehran might face tough resistance from Moscow and Beijing.
“If it continues to refuse the slightest confidence measures, to refuse dialogue, transparency . . . we must draw all of the necessary conclusions and that means that we must move on to a new resolution involving sanctions, said French UN ambassador Gerard Araud.
– (Reuters)